Crying doll.



A. STEINER.

GRYING DOLL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, 1913.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

IIIVI/E/VTOR lg/ESSES:

ALBIN STEINER, OF SONNEBERG, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR 'IO GEO. BORGFELDT 8c 00., A

CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

' CRYING DOLL.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented-Feb. 3,1914.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBIN STEINER, residing at-Sonneberg, S. M., Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crying Dolls, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. g

This invention relates to crying dolls.

One of the objects thereof is to produce a doll figure which, after being deformed or distorted out of its normal shape, will automatically right itself with extreme slowness, at the same time emitting a long sustained' cry.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

' This invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construct-ion hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims. I

In the accompanying drawings wherein is shown one of the various possible embodiments of my invention, Figure 1 is a partial section showing the interior of the figure in elevation. Fig. 2 is a cross section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, showing the base with parts carried thereby, the spring 'being omitted. Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 3-3 of Fig.

l 2. Fig. 4 is a cross section .on line 4-4 of Fig. 3. i

imilar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the drawings and Specifi cation.

It is common knowledge that heretofore dolls and toys have been constructed, capable of C1producing a cry or whistle when squeeze In some of these the sound producing element hasbeen rendered effective by air passing therethrough when the toy was compressed; while in others the .cry

has been produced by the influx of air, as

the figure resumed its normal shape. In all such devices, however, the air has-been per mitted to ass freely through the sound producing e ement, thereby permitting the figure suddenlyto overcome its physical de formation. In such devices theory is sharp and short. H

The present invention .difie rs from such devices, in that the sound'produoing element is the sole means for the ingress of air to the interior of the figure; and the air passage therein is trapped or restricted, so that the admission of air takes place with great dlfiicult'y, tending to produce a vacuum thereinas the figure tries to resume its normal proportions. This prevents the spring or other expanding means from acting quickly, on which account, the movement is slow, and the sound produced by the'incomin air is long sustained.

eferring to the drawings, the doll or figure is seen to comprise a disk-shaped base 1 and a smaller disk-shaped head supporting member 2, which disks constitutethe rigid members of a bellows structure.

Securely attached to the peripheries of said disks, as with glue, and completely enveloping thespace therebetween, is provided a covering 3 of flexible air-tight material, such as rubberized or oiled cloth, which serves as the flexible member of the bellows aforesaid. A spiral spring 4 interposed between the disks 1 and "2 tends normally to extend the bellows or body to the full length of the covering 3, the enveloped space'being occupied by air admitted through a perforation 5 located in the base. VVeights 6 secured to the upper surface of the base keep the figure in equilibrium in an upright position. Also secured to the said upper surface is a sound producing member 7, which is disposed in operative relation to the perforation 5. This member comprises an inverted trough 8, closed at one end as at 9, which end and the sides of the trough are fastened in an air-tight manner to the disk. Oompletely filling the open end of said trough is a short tube 10 having a reedpipe secured within and completely closing its inner end. This reed-pipe comprises a substantially V- shaped member 11 closed at its free end, as at 12, and communicating freely with the interior of the tube 10; and athin flexible Q short distance beyond the end of said tube.

This reedis adapted to vibrate and, in a well known manner, to produce a musical tone when air passes beneath the same into the interior of the reed-pipe and tube 10.

A. head 14 representing any character which it is desired that the toy assume is secured in any suitable manner to the upper side of the disk 2; and a dress or other superficial covering 15 loosely 'envelops the whole device from the neck to the base, said covering being suitably attached to the figure at the points mentioned.

From the foregoing, the operation of the crying doll may be understood. By pressing-downwardly upon the head, the spring 4 is compressed and the figure crushed in a.

As a result air is drawn through the reed pipe for a considerable length of time and the tone thereby produced is long drawn out.

It is to .be noted, that as the base is flat there is a tendency for the admission of air through the perforation 5 to be somewhat restricted by the surface upon which the toy rests. Advantage is taken of this fact, by properly proportioning the spring 4 and the weight of the head 14, to produce an intermittent crying effect. This results from the fact that as the figure rights itself it oscillates from side to side in an irregular manner; and tipstthe base slightly, first up on one side then on the other, wherefore air is admitted to the reed in varying quan-' tities.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widelydiiferent embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings and not in a limiting sense. Q

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is 1, In a toy device of the character described, in combination, a flexible air-tight body having one end completely closed, and

ayclosure for the other end of said body I provided with a perforation therethrough;

,a spring disposed betweenthe said ends of said bodyv tendin normally to extend the same; and a reed pipe interposed between said perforation and the interior of said body, said reed ipe being formed to permit the air contained in said body to pass freely therefrom through said perforation without together, and to permit the air to pass back intosaid body in a restricted manner, causcausing sound when said ends are pressed ing a crying sound, and retarding the action of said spring in returning said body to its original proportions.

2. In a toy device of the character described, in combination, a pair of vertically spaced disks, one of which has a perfora tion therethrough; a flexible air-tight envelop connecting the said disks; a spring interposed between said disks; and a reed pipe disposed in operative relation to said perforation, said reed pipe being formed to permit the air contained in said envelop to pass freely therefrom through said perforation without causing sound when said ends are pressed together, and to permit the air to pass back into said-body in a restricted manner, causing a crying" sound, and retarding the action of said spring in returning said-body to its original proportions. q

In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALBIN STEINER. Witnesses:

Ron. SAUERBREY, MAX SIPPEL. 

